Physical layer management (PLM) system for use with an optical distribution frame in which trays can be selectively removed and re-attached

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a subrack comprising a backplate and at least one tray configured so that a plurality of connections can be made at a plurality of positions on the tray. Each of the plurality of connections involves at least one connector having information stored in a device associated therewith that can be read. The backplate and the tray are configured so that the tray can be selectively attached and removed from the backplate. The backplate and the tray are configured so that the devices associated with the connectors involved in making the connections can be read via the tray. The devices associated with the connections can be implemented, for example, using RFID tags or connection point identifier (CPID) storage devices (such as EEPROMs).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A subrack comprising:
 a backplate; 
 at least one tray configured so that a plurality of connections can be made at a plurality of positions on the tray, each of the plurality of connections involving a respective at least two cables, wherein at least one of the cables involved with each of the connections is terminated with a respective cable connector having a device associated therewith that stores information in a device associated therewith that can be read; 
 wherein the backplate and the tray are configured so that the tray can be selectively attached and removed from the backplate; and 
 wherein the backplate and the tray are configured so that the devices associated with the respective cable connectors involved in making the connections can be read via the tray. 
 
     
     
       2. The subrack of  claim 1 , wherein the devices associated each connector comprises Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, wherein the backplate and the tray are configured so that the RFID tags associated with the connectors involved in making the connections can be read via the tray. 
     
     
       3. The subrack of  claim 2 , wherein each tray comprises a plurality of RFID antennas, each of the RFID antennas being associated with a respective one of the positions, wherein each of the plurality of RFID antennas can be selectively coupled to an RFID reader in order to read the RFID tags associated with the connectors involved in making the connections. 
     
     
       4. The subrack of  claim 1 , wherein the devices associated each connector comprises connection point identifier (CPID) storage devices, wherein the backplate and the tray are configured so that the CPID storage devices associated with the connectors involved in making the connections can be read via the tray. 
     
     
       5. The subrack of  claim 1 , wherein the backplate is implemented as a backplane printed circuit board. 
     
     
       6. The subrack of  claim 5 , wherein the backplane printed circuit board comprises a tray connector, wherein the tray has attached thereto a backplane connector that is configured to be connected to the tray connector of the backplane printed circuit board in connection with the tray being attached to the backplate; and
 wherein the tray further comprises at least one plastic tether attached to the backplane connector, wherein the plastic tether is configured to pull the backplane connector out of the tray connector on the backplane printed circuit board in connection with the tray being removed from the backplate. 
 
     
     
       7. The subrack of  claim 5 , wherein the backplane printed circuit board comprises at least one cut out to which a strain relief cable can be attached. 
     
     
       8. The subrack of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of trays. 
     
     
       9. The subrack of  claim 1 , wherein each tray comprises a plurality of visual indicators, each of the visual indicators being associated with a respective one of the positions. 
     
     
       10. The subrack of  claim 1 , wherein each tray is configured so that a plurality of fiber optic adapters can be attached to the printed circuit board, each of the plurality of fiber optic adapters associated with a respective one of the positions. 
     
     
       11. The subrack of  claim 1 , further comprising a subrack controller;
 wherein each tray comprises: 
 a tray controller; and 
 at least two communication ports, each of which is coupled to the tray controller, wherein the subrack is configured so that the tray controller can be coupled to the subrack controller via one or more of the communication ports. 
 
     
     
       12. The subrack of  claim 1 , wherein each tray includes pockets formed in the tray to accommodate electronics. 
     
     
       13. The subrack of  claim 1 , wherein the backplate comprises a tray connector, wherein the tray has attached thereto a backplate connector that is configured to be connected to the tray connector of the backplate in connection with the tray being attached to the backplate; and
 wherein the tray is configured to disconnect the backplate connector from the tray connector on the backplate in connection with the tray being removed from the backplate. 
 
     
     
       14. A method of using a subrack that comprises a backplate and at least one tray configured so that a plurality of connections can be made at a plurality of positions on the tray, each of the plurality of connections involving a respective at least two cables, wherein at least one of the cables involved with each of the connections is terminated with at least one connector having information stored in a device associated therewith, the method comprising:
 attaching the tray to the backplate; 
 reading, via the tray, the devices associated with the at least one connector involved in making the connections; and 
 removing the tray from the backplate and thereafter re-attaching the tray to the backplate. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the devices associated each connector comprises radio frequency identification (RFID) tags; and
 wherein reading, via the tray, the devices associated with the connectors involved in making the connections comprises reading, via the tray, the RFID tags associated with the connectors involved in making the connections. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein each tray comprises a plurality of RFID antennas, each of the RFID antennas being associated with a respective one of the positions; and
 wherein reading the RFID tags associated with the connectors involved in making the connections via the tray comprises selectively coupling each of the plurality of RFID antennas to an RFID reader in order to read the RFID tags associated with the connectors involved in making the connections. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the devices associated each connector comprises connection point identifier (CPID) storage devices; and
 wherein reading, via the tray, the devices associated with the connectors involved in making the connections comprises reading the CPID storage devices associated with the connectors involved in making the connections via the tray. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the backplate is implemented as a backplane printed circuit board. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the backplane printed circuit board comprises a tray connector, wherein the tray has attached thereto a backplane connector that is configured to be connected to the tray connector of the backplane printed circuit board in connection with the tray being attached to the backplate; and
 wherein the tray further comprises at least one plastic tether attached to the backplane connector, wherein the plastic tether is configured to pull the backplane connector out of the tray connector on the backplane printed circuit board in connection with the tray being removed from the backplate. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising attaching a strain relief cable to the tray using a cut out formed in the backplane printed circuit board. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the backplate comprises a tray connector, wherein the tray has attached thereto a backplate connector that is configured to be connected to the tray connector of the backplate in connection with the tray being attached to the backplate; and
 wherein the tray is configured to disconnect the backplate connector from the tray connector on the backplate in connection with the tray being removed from the backplate.